Rebel Walk Roundtable: Week 10 Picks Around the SEC

Coming off of a bye week, and with the Gamecocks on the horizon, let’s take a look around the SEC in this week’s Rebel Walk Roundtable.

Here we are again with another weekend of great SEC football ahead of us. This week, all eyes are going to be on two of the biggest matchups in the country, No. 1 Alabama travels to No. 4 LSU, while No. 6 Georgia heads to No. 9 Kentucky. With those two games, the SEC West and East will both seemingly be won this week.

If Alabama wins, the Tide will all but lock down the West. If LSU wins, the plot thickens as we head down the home stretch. With UGA vs UK, the winner takes control of the East and will most likely hold onto it for the rest of the year.

Outside of those two games, we have No. 20 A&M heading to Auburn, Mizzou traveling to The Swamp to play the No. 11 Gators, and Will Muschamp’s Gamecocks coming to Vaught-Hemingway for an early morning showdown with Ole Miss. In out-of-conference action, Charlotte goes to Tennessee, while Mississippi State hosts Louisiana Tech.

So, let’s take a look around the SEC with our Week 9 Rebel Walk Roundtable!

Here are our picks for each of this weekend’s upcoming SEC games. Give us your feedback on Twitter (@TheRebelWalk) and Facebook, and let’s talk SEC football! Hotty Toddy!

RW Roundtable: Our Week 10 SEC Picks

11 A.M. South Carolina (4-3, 3-3 SEC) vs Ole Miss (5-3, 1-3 SEC)

Spread: USC -1

O/U: 67

Jake: To me, this is the most evenly-matched game Ole Miss has all season. Both teams have struggled on defense and on offense in SEC play. In my opinion, this game will be the perfect mess of offensive explosiveness and defensive struggle. After a bad showing against Auburn, look for Phil Longo to pull out all the tricks and outscore the Gamecocks at the Vaught. Rebs by a touchdown.

Evie: South Carolina has not won two games in a row this season, and I think that trend continues when the Gamecocks and Rebs meet in the Vaught Saturday. Ole Miss moved the ball well against Auburn–until they got into the red zone–but I think the bye week will have helped those woes and we’ll see the tight ends get involved and help lead the Rebs to a win.

Land: The bye couldn’t have come at a better time for Ole Miss, two games into a brutal six-game SEC stint. It all comes down to how early and often Ole Miss scores. If the offense struggles, it’ll be another long day in the Vaught, but I expect the Rebs to be rested and ready to go against a struggling Jake Bentley and his Gamecocks team. Fingers crossed.

Hays: The Gamecocks still need two more games, to become bowl eligible with Florida and Clemson still remaining on their schedule. However, a rested Rebel unit comes off a bye week and gets the job done with better redzone execution.

11 A.M. #20 Texas A&M (5-3, 3-2 SEC) vs Auburn (5-3, 2-3 SEC)

Spread: Auburn -4

O/U: 49

Jake: After a loss against State last week, A&M is a bit down. Auburn steamrolled the Rebs two weeks ago and should take care of business again this week. Auburn’s defense will get to Mond and make his life hard. That Tiger run game will show up again like it did in Oxford, and the Tigers will get the job done at home. I think A&M is very good at home, and very average on the road. Stidham isn’t good enough to take over a game, so it’ll stay closer than it should be. It’ll be tight, but Auburn in a close one.

Evie: These two teams are incredibly evenly matched. Each has a defense that can get the job done if its offense scores the necessary points, and each has a coach recognized as one of the top offensive minds. If Auburn running back JaTarvious Whitlow (injured against Ole Miss), is healthy, I like the Tigers’ chances. But even if he’s not, I think Auburn wins this one as over the last five years, A&M is 4-11 in SEC games in the month of November.

Land: This one really could go either way. A&M is undoubtedly licking its wounds after a 28-13 loss to State last week, and Auburn is coming off a week to rest and prepare. Stidham just isn’t very good, and I think A&M’s defense takes advantage. It won’t be pretty but A&M bounces back.

Hays: Kellen Mond has the ability to keep his team in the game, but I think Auburn is too talented defensively. This will be a low scoring game because both offenses at times can become stagnant. Despite the Tigers’ offensive woes, the Aggies do not have enough to pull a victory at Auburn.

2:30 P.M. #6 Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC) vs #9 Kentucky (7-1, 5-1 SEC)

Spread: UGA -9

O/U: 44

Jake: UK is having a fantastic season…just not good enough to beat UGA. UK can run the ball and play defense, but a one-dimensional offense will not work against the Dawgs. Fromm should lead UGA to a comfortable win over UK on the road and virtually secure the SEC East.

Evie: Kentucky has a great running back in Benny Snell Jr. UGA hasn’t really missed a beat with the departure of Sony Michel and Nick Chubb, as Elijah Holyfield and D’Andre Swift have stepped in and rushed for 559 and 466 yards, respectively. The Bulldogs do have a big advantage at QB with Jake Fromm averaging just over 206 yards per game. Kentucky’s QB Wilson, on the other hand, only averages 123 ypg. Mark Stoops’ Kentucky team believes in his system–but it won’t matter. Bulldogs win this one.

Land: Kentucky has had a dream season; they broke the top 10 in the first CFP rankings and a win this week could get them a berth in the SEC Championship. But, this week they have a hot Georgia team coming off an incredible win over Florida. I don’t have confidence in Kentucky’s offense without Snell running wild, and I expect the Dawgs to key in on Snell and force Terry Wilson to beat them… which he won’t… Georgia by a lot

Hays: I expect Georgia to mop the floor and roll passed the Wildcats. Kentucky’s offense is absolutely awful, and the Georgia defense is stout. Terry Wilson will have below 100 yards passing on top of that.

3:00 P.M. Missouri (4-4, 0-4 SEC) vs #11 Florida (6-2, 4-2 SEC)

Spread: UF -6

O/U: 58

Jake: Missouri can score some points, but Florida is just an all-around better team. Both lost tough games last week and are looking to bounce back. Mizzou just isn’t on par with Florida. Plus, in The Swamp…this game is all Gators.

Evie: Missouri pounded Florida, 45-16, last year, but that won’t be the case this year as I look for the Tigers to lose their 12th straight game against a ranked opponent. Expect Gators DC Todd Grantham to figure out how to pressure Mizzou’s standout QB Drew Lock and force him to make mistakes. Incidentally, Lock is the top-rated senior QB prospect according NFLDraftScout.com–but that won’t matter as the Gators pull away in the second half.

Land: Florida got roughed up last week after hanging with Georgia for a good while, and MIzzou lost in the most unconventional way possible after leading Kentucky all game. Both teams are desperate to bounce back and I think this will be a good game… for a bit. I expect Mizzou to hang with Florida for a half and then Mullen’s Gators will run away with it in the second half

Hays: Missouri lost a heartbreaker to Kentucky, and the Gators were manhandled in the second half by Georgia. Although Missouri is 0-4 in the SEC, I do not think they are a bad football team. However, Missouri will lose another heartbreaker in the Swamp.

3:00 P.M. Charlotte (4-4) vs Tennessee (3-5)

Spread: UT -21

O/U: 47.5

Jake: If Tennessee doesn’t win this game at home by 3 TDs…yikes. That’s all I have to say about that.

Evie: UT wins this one, but I’m not sure they cover the 21-point spread.

Land: Pruitt and the Vols snacthed defeat out of the jaws of victory last week and I know they are chomping at the bit to get to take on Charlotte, who took care of business against Jay Hopson’s Southern Miss last week. UT will win, but Charlotte won’t go down TOO easily.

Hays: Tennessee should not be favored by 21 over anyone because their offense is not that good. The Vols still ,win handily, though.

6:30 P.M. Lousiana Tech (6-2) vs #18 Mississippi State (5-3)

Spread: MSU -23.5

O/U: 46.5

Jake: MSU showed out last week vs A&M and should do the same this week. LA Tech is bowl eligible, which is great for them, but they won’t have too much fun this week. Fitzgerald looks good right now, which kills me to say, but State is just playing well right now. Bulldogs by a few TDs.

Evie: I agree with Jake, Land and Hays–State wins this one. An Aggie friend of mine lamented after A&M’s loss to MSU that his team’s defense made Fitz look like he had “the arm of Joe Montana and the legs of Barry Sanders.” While I’m not willing to go that far, I can admit the Bulldogs’ QB had a great game. State’s defense is good and will handle La. Tech without too much trouble. State wins and covers.

Land: Nicky Fitz had some redemption last week as the Bulldogs got the upset over A&M, and Fitz will stay strong this week as Moorhead and Co. will take care of business once more… gosh I hate typing that sentence.

Hays: Fitzgerald threw the ball around last week and proved his haters wrong. A blowout this upcoming weekend could allow the Bulldogs to gain some momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.

7:00 P.M. #1 Alabama (8-0, 5-0 SEC) vs #4 LSU (7-1, 4-1 SEC)

Spread: ALA -14.5

O/U: 54

Jake: Hats off to LSU for being the first team to be within 20 points of ‘Bama on the spread this season. Hats off to Coach O for putting together a heck of a season for this LSU team. I love that dude, and I’m happy to see him succeeding in his natural habitat. However, his LSU team cannot touch this ‘Bama team. Nobody can, for that matter. This game being played in Death Valley at night makes it very interesting, but The Tide is just on another level. It’ll be close for a bit, but it’ll get out of hand by the end. ‘Bama wins by a couple of TDs and secures the SEC West.

Evie: I’m wondering if there has ever been a game between two top-five teams where the spread has been as much as 14 points–particularly when favoring the visiting team? I’m thinking Vegas knows what it’s talking about in this one. LSU is a very good team with solid offensive and defensive lines and a great secondary. But that being said, this Alabama team is on a different level. Tiger Stadium at night is one of the toughest places to play in all of CFB, but any time is Tua time, and I think the Tide QB is looking forward to this one. Heck, he might even get to play in the fourth quarter for the first time all season. Tide rolls.

Land: I’ll say it: LSU is overrated. Yes, they are a good football team, but they aren’t playoff good. Alabama is without a doubt the best team in College Football and honestly could beat a couple NFL teams, not naming any names (@Titans). I think the Tide silences Death Valley and wins the West.

Hays: The game we have all been waiting for…. Bama rolls into Tiger Stadium and beats the brakes off LSU. You cannot beat an Alabama team without a playmaker at quarterback. Not to mention, it is impossible to imagine the fact that Coach O will outcoach Saban.

Our Score Predictions

S. CAR vs.
Ole Miss

#20 A&M vs.
AUB

#6 UGA vs.
#9 UK

MIZZ vs.
#11 FLA.

CHAR. vs.
TENN.

LA Tech vs.
#18 MSU

#1 BAMA vs
#4 LSU

Jake

OM
33-27

AUB
27-28

UGA
41-21

UF
30-20

UT
37-14

MSU
51-21

BAMA
38-20

Evie

OM
35-31

AUB
27-21

UGA
31-21

UF
31-27

UT
34-13

MSU
35-14

BAMA
35-21

Land

OM
24-13

A&M
31-21

UGA
38-13

UF
41-28

UT
45-23

MSU
56-24

BAMA
34-17

Hays

OM
31-28

AUB
24-21

UGA
45-10

UF
28-24

UT
35-24

MSU
49-14

BAMA
45-10

There you have it for The Rebel Walk Roundtable’s Week 10 SEC Picks! Let us know what you think will happen on Saturday, and start the conversation with us on Twitter (@TheRebelWalk) and Facebook!

Jake is a 20-year-old Integrated Marketing and Communications major at the University of Mississippi. He is a retired high school football, hockey, baseball, cricket, and rugby player. Jake is a lover of all things Ole Miss, Predators, Titans and Braves.